Wire reel



Dec. 20, 1960 2,965,327

L. W. BLARY WIRE REEL Filed June 27, 1958 {244910-02 v [00/5 14 Bz meyArr-0421a United States Patent C WIRE REEL Louis W. Blary, 726 HarmonAve., Danville, Ill.

Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No. 744,999

4 Claims. (Cl. 24277.2)

This invention relates to means for supporting reels of wire in bothstationary locations and in transportation from one place to another.The invention contemplates the winding of wire on the reel at thefactory making the wire, and therefore the invention relates per se tothe carrying device providing means for mounting the reels in adetachable manner.

The invention also contemplates the mounting of the reels on the carrierin such manner that wires may be pulled from several reels at a time,the reels being revoluble whereby plurality of wires, if desired, may bepulled from the carrier for pulling through conduits and the like suchas in wiring houses or buildings, or running a plurality of wires tovarious positions such as for machines.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the uniquemanner of mounting the reels on the carrier; the ease of transportingthe reels; the immediate availability of one or more wires from likenumbers of reels; and in the compactness of the device. The invention inthe form as now best known to me is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing wherein- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structureembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan and partial section; and

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective and partial section of an empty reel.

A frame, designated generally by the numeral 10, has a transverse member11 serving as an axle, on each end of which is a supporting wheel 12. Anelongated member has one end 13 fixed centrally of the length of theaxle 11 and extends therefrom by a length 14 upwardly to merge through abend 15 into a length 16 extending downwardly as best shown in Fig. 1.The lengths 14 and 16 and the bend 15 are in a common vertical plane.This structure forms a tripod wherein the bend 15 is supported above thethree points defined by the undersides of the wheels 12 and the end ofthe length 16, here shown as being provided with a cap 17.

A transverse post 18 is fixed to the length 14 intermediate the end 13and the bend 15, Fig. 2, to extend at right angles therefrom and by anequal length on each side thereof. Each length of the post 18 whichextends from the member 14 revolubly carries a hub 19.

Each hub 19 has an outer end frusto-conical face 20, from the largerdiameter end of which as defined by the line 21 there slopes inwardly ofthe hub to a lesser diameter line 22 a frusto-conical face 23. From theline 22, the hub enlarges through a frusto-conical portion to form theface 24. In this manner, the line 22 is at the smallest diameter portionof the hub as between the lines 21 and the inner-most end 25 of the hub,defining a shallow V substantially centrally of the axial length of thehub. The hub 19 in each instance may be made out of any suitablematerial, such as plastic as is herein indicated. The material, whatevermay be employed, is substantially nondeformable.

In like manner, a pair of hubs 26, one on each side of the length 16, isrevolubly carried on a second post 18 intermediate to bend 15 and theend cap 17. The hubs 26 are identical with the hubs 19 and all of thehubs are held on their respective posts or arms by means of endretainers 27 secured to the arms.

These hubs each receive a reel initially having wire 28 carried thereby.The reel in each instance is designated by the numeral 29 and is bestshown in Fig. 3. The reel 29 comprises a pair of circular wires 30 and31 of equal diameters, and these wires are interconnected by a pluralityof U-shaped members 32, herein shown as four in number and radiallydisposed in spaced apart relation around the wires 30 and 31, the openends of the members 32 being fixed to the wires 30 and 31 in eachinstance, and the intervening web 33 slopes from the sides 34 and 35 ofthe member 32 in straight lines to a central apex 36.

Two of these reels, 29a and 29b, are shown mounted on their respectivehubs, Fig. 2, wherein the reels have been shifted from the dash-lineposition over the frustoconical surface 20 by springing the members 32to permit the web apexes 36 to spring back into the central positionbetween the faces 23 and 24 immediately over the circumferential line22.

As above indicated, these reels 29 are preferably originally wound withthe wire 28 at the wire factory. In order to permit the webs 33 to besprung over the line 21 of the hubs 19, it is preferred that there be acircumferential band 37 wrapped around the webs 33 without coming intocontact with the central portions of those webs so that the wire, Fig.2, has its original inner-turns bearing on this band 37 and not directlyagainst the webs 33. Thus the loaded reels 29 may be pressed over therespective hubs 19 and 26 and thus held in place, to be carried by thearms or posts 18 to permit the reels to turn when the wire ends 38 arepulled from the reels. A convenient way of guiding the ends 318 isthrough the elliptical loop 39, Figs. 1 and 2, where the ends 33 arepulled up through the loop 39, this loop 39 being centered and fixedacross the underside of the bend 15.

The device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in solid lines is in the stationaryposition at the place where the wire is to be pulled from the reels foruse in the wiring operations. When the device is to be transported, thelength 16 is lifted such as by gripping the cap 17 to the dash lineposition, Fig. 1, when the entire structure may be wheeled to any otherdesired position.

Therefore, it is to be seen that I have provided a simple, yet mosteffective structure for supporting de' mountably a plurality of reelseach attached to the carrying structure and removable therefromindependently of any other reel. The reels are in such form andconstruction that they may be disposed of if so desired after all thewire is used therefrom. The overall cost of the device is exceedinglylow, but a considerable saving in time as well as in prevention ofhaving to untangle wires where the reels are not so carried is had.

Therefore, while the device has been described in the one particularform, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do notdesire to be limited to that form beyond the limitations which may beimposed by the following claims.

I claim:

I. The combination of a hub and a reel, said reel being detachablymounted on said hub, said hub having a circumferential recess betweenends thereof; said reel comprising a pair of side members; a pluralityof tie members interconnecting said side members in spaced apartrelation, extending radially and inwardly from the peripheries thereof;said tie members having central V-shaped webs circumferentially spacedaround and yieldingly entering said hub recess.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said hub recess is V-shaped and isprovided centrally of the axial length of the hub, centering andyieldingly retaining the reel mounted thereon.

3. The combination of a hub and a reel, said reel being detachablymounted on said hub, said hub and reel carried revolubly by a supportingmeans; said reel comprising a pair of spaced apart side members; aplurality of tie members interconnecting said side members, radiallyspaced apart and extending inwardly from the pe ripheries thereof andhaving central V-shaped web portions adapted to yieldingly enter acircumferential recess provided between ends of said hub.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which a circumferential band extendsbetween said side members and around said web portions a spaced distanceoutwardly from apexes thereof, defining open, triangular shaped areas Atherebetween; said web portions circumferentially spaced around said hubrecess presenting said open areas therewithin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS116,108 Stearns June 20, 1871 220,065 Fay Sept. 30, 1879 1,664,074Hetferman Mar. 27, 1923 2,095,409 Deluchi et al. Oct. 12, 1937 2,646,233Gazet July 21, 1953 2,705,114 Worsham Mar. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS726,704 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1955

